Daddy Plays Guitar Pop talk with a stay at home dad

The busy life of Stay at Home Dad

Damn...it has been quite awhile since I've written on my site. I went in with the intention of doing a weekly blog, but being a stay at home dad is not easy. My daughter is 2 years old now, and I feel I am just accepting the "new" boundaries that are my life.

I'm sure women must go through the same experience; "Your Time is no longer your time!!" But, it is a real adjustment. Physically and psychologically.

The most important thing I've learned is patience, and not just patience with my daughter...that is actually easy. Patience for yourself, patience in trying to accomplish the small tasks that one tries to do. Whether it's checking email (WI FI is incredible), working out, listening to music, speaking on the phone, or playing guitar, the best thing to do is let it come to you. My daughter can be stressful enough so I don't stew over what I can or can't do. However,  I have also learned that if there are things that I must do for myself, then I  schedule these things when I have to. By this I mean waking up an hour before my daughter does, in order  to workout, regardless of how early it may be. It can be a chore (and exhausting)  but the payoff is worth it.

I have worked hard to get my daughter into a routine, eating, napping, bedtime, and I can say that at  2 years old, she is far easier to deal with, than when she even 1 and 1/2. She colors, or tries to color, sometimes on paper. Street chalk and bubbles are my new best friend at the park, I highly recommend them.

As far as tending to the wife, who busts her hump at a 9 to 5 or usually a 10 to 7:30pm, the same rule applies...let the game come to you. Shopping, dinner, amore, etc. Sometimes take out is a stay at home dads best friend, and by sometimes I mean usually. Unfortunately, finances don't allow for this luxury every night, so simple dishes, with leftovers are my solution. Stir fry!!!! Homemade chicken salad!!, Frozen vegetables!!! Maybe I'll write the Stay at Home Daddy cookbook one day.

So , to briefly summarize (and perhaps for my own benefit) BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF AS WELL AS YOUR CHILD. All stress and no fun makes dad a raging lunatic.